The State government on Monday evening issued an "emergency" order to Additional Chief Secretaries and Secretaries of 22 departments asking them to cancel nominated heads of government-owned boards, corporations and authorities in the State.
Assembly polls close
This will make way for induction of new leaders to occupy these places, ahead of the 2023 Assembly elections in Karnataka. With Cabinet expansion unlikely to happen and elections too close at hand, this move of the BJP government is seen as an attempt to placate disgrutled leaders who have been waiting in the wings hoping for Cabinet berths. Sources said nominated heads of 52 boards and corporations would be dropped and new leaders nominated in their place.
The Chief Secretary's office of the State government issued the order to heads of 22 departments and asked them to, in turn, issue orders on Monday itself to cancel nominated heads to various boards, corporations and authorities. Each department has been directed to submit a copy of the order to the Chief Secretary's office.
Speaking at Mysuru earlier in the day, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said BJP leaders heading boards and corporations for more than one-and-a-half years will soon have to make way for others.
Core committee’s call
Speaking to reporters at Mysuru airport, Mr. Bommai said the BJP’s core committee had decided about six months ago that party leaders heading boards and corporations for more than one-and-a-half years should be replaced.
Hence, necessary steps will be taken to replace partymen heading boards and corporations with other leaders. “We will have to give an opportunity to others also... A list will be prepared,” he had said.
Many of these heads of boards and corporations were appointed when Mr. Bommai’s predecessor B.S. Yediyurappa held office.
